Admit it or not, our minds have evolved in a way that they don’t retain information for too long. Even worse, whatever forms as thoughts and ideas is usually a hopelessly jumbled mess unless we lay it out before our eyes, and force it to come out as clear and coherent ideas.

Luckily, with the advent of digital note-taking, to-do lists, mind-mapping, and personal organization tools, undertaking this seemingly daunting task is a breeze. With the help of following 40 best task management tools, you can get the clutter out of your way, be more productive, and get the job done in time with ease.

• VoodooPad Lite (Mac only)

  VoodooPad is a garden for your thoughts. Plant ideas, images, lists and anything else you need to keep track of. VoodooPad grows with you, without getting in the way — no fences to box you in! Type in notes, highlight important words or phrases and create new pages. Drag and drop folders, images, applications, or URLs into VoodooPad — they’re linked up just like on the web. With powerful search, nothing will be lost or out of reach.

• Stickies (Windows only)

  Stickies for Windows lets you put yellow sticky notes on your Windows desktop, much like the popular Mac OS application. It is very simple, very customizable, and completely free!

• ToDoList (Windows only)

  A simple but effective way to keep on top of your tasks. A hierarchical task manager with native XML support for custom reporting.

• TreePad (Windows and Linux)

  TreePadâ„¢ is an award-winning Personal Information Manager, Organizer, Database, and Word Processor. Portability and compactness are smoothly blended into TreePadâ„¢ with its other distinctive features: versatility and power, as well as simplicity and intuitiveness of use.

• Shadow Plan (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X)

  Shadow Plan is the ultimate in Palm OS outliners, note takers, ToDo-listers and task managers.

• TreeLine (Windows and Linux)

  Some would call TreeLine an Outliner, others would call it a PIM. Basically, it just stores almost any kind of information. A tree structure makes it easy to keep things organized. And each node in the tree can contain several fields, forming a mini-database. The output format for each node can be defined, and the output can be shown on the screen, printed, or exported to html.

• KeyNote (Windows only)

  Keynote is a flexible, multi-featured tabbed notebook, based on Windows standard RichEdit control. It’s always accessible with a single keypress, even if you work in another application.

• TaskPaper (Mac only)

  For Mac users who want a simpler way to create lists. TaskPaper is a simple to-do list application that helps you stay organized. Unlike competing applications, TaskPaper is based on plain text files which offer you paper-like simplicity and ease of use.

• Quick To-Do Light (Windows only)

  Quick To-Do Light is the entry-level version of an award-winning small and easy-on-use Personal Information Manager. Its only duty is to track daily to-do list and it does it well without compromise.

• TuxCards (Linux only)

  With TuxCards it is possible to create as many different entries or notes as you wish. Everytime you add a new one and you think your new entry belongs to the same topic as notes you already have, then you may decide to group them and to create a kind of “folder” where you store them all together. Just the same like you would put your books and paperwork from your job together in one place and not to the garden utilities.

• Time & Chaos Contact Manager and Time Management Software (Windows only)

  Time and Chaos is the best contact manager software for Windows users. It organizes your telephone book of contacts and clients and improves your time management capabilities with its appointment calendar and to do list tasks that show you exactly what needs to be done today. If you are on a network, Time & Chaos allows you to share your data with everyone on your network with no expensive server add-on required.

• ListfulThinking (Any OS with Java 1.4.x installed)

  ListfulThinking is a deceptively simple To-Do list manager.

• wikidPad (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS)

  wikidPad is a Wiki-like notebook for storing your thoughts, ideas, todo lists, contacts, or anything else you can think of to write down.

• Tomboy (Linux only)

  Tomboy is a desktop note-taking application for Linux and Unix. Simple and easy to use, but with potential to help you organize the ideas and information you deal with every day.

• FreeMind - free mind mapping software (Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX)

  FreeMind is a premier free mind-mapping software written in Java. The recent development has hopefully turned it into high productivity tool. We are proud that the operation and navigation of FreeMind is faster than that of MindManager because of one-click “fold / unfold” and “follow link” operations.

• EverNote (Windows only)

  With EverNote you can easily capture, store and quickly access typed and handwritten memos, webpage excerpts, emails, phone messages, addresses, passwords, brainstorms, sketches, documents and more!

• BasKet Note Pads (Linux only)

  This multi-purpose note-taking application helps you to:
  Easily take all sort of notes
  Collect research results and share them
  Centralize your project data and reuse it
  Quickly organize your toughts in idea boxes
  Keep track of your information in a smart way
  Make intelligent To Do lists
  And a lot more…

• ECCO PRO (Windows only)

  ECCO PRO, the Personal Information Manager with the most awards in history, brings together your contacts, calendar, appointments, tasks and projects in one integrated, customizable application. Even in todays operating environments of Windows XP or Vista, this amazing piece of software, with a development stop in 1997, still shows it strength compared to todays PIM’s. With ECCO PRO you always have the information you need at your fingertips!

• Journler (Mac only)

  Journler is a daily notebook and entry based information manager. Scholars, teachers, students, professors, scientists, thinkers, the business minded and writers of every persuasion use it on a daily basis to connect the written word with the media most important to them.

• xPad (Mac only)

  xPad is the ultimate notepad, TextEdit and Stickies replacement for Apple’s OS X. With a simple, easy-to-use interface and powerful multi-document features, xPad will quickly become your daily text editor of choice.

  With xPad you can create as many documents as you like, all of which are managed in one window. Attached to that window is a drawer containing a list of all the documents you’ve created. Any document can be selected and loaded instantly—at any time—allowing you to easily create and manage hundreds of documents without cluttering your desktop.

• NoteLens (Windows only)

  NoteLens is a note-taking tool that is so fast, it lets you concentrate on your notes - not on the interface. NoteLens is designed to help you stay in the flow. You never spend time deciding where to store notes, save them, or even give them names. NoteLens takes care of that for you. With a lightning fast full text indexing system, you can quickly find any note just by typing any word - all of the notes containing that word will be pulled up as you type.

• ZuluPad (Windows and OS X)

  ZuluPad is a notepad on crack. It’s a place to jot down class notes, appointments, to-do lists, favorite websites, pretty much anything you can think of. The great thing about ZuluPad is that it combines the best parts of a notepad with the best parts of a wiki, a concept made popular by Wikipedia.

• Semantik (Linux only)

  Semantik - a mindmapping-like tool for document generation. Helps students to write reports and thesis.

• View Your Mind (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X)

  VYM (View Your Mind) is a tool to generate and manipulate maps which show your thoughts. Such maps can help you to improve your creativity and effectivity. You can use them for time management, to organize tasks, to get an overview over complex contexts, to sort your ideas etc.

• PersonalBrain (Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X)

  Dynamic mind mapping software that lets you link your ideas, files and web pages the way you think.

Web based outlining, mind-mapping, note-taking tools and organizers

• Bubbl.us

  Bubbl.us is a simple and free web application that lets you brainstorm online.

• MindMeister

  MindMeister supports all the standard features of a classic mind mapping tool - only online, and with as many simultaneous users as you like!

• Mind42

  mind42.com is a browser based online mind mapping application. With mind42.com installing mindmapping tools is no longer needed- for a hassle-free mindmapping experience. Just open the browser and launch the application when needed.

• Mindomo

  Mindomo is a versatile Web-based mind mapping tool, delivering the capabilities of desktop mind mapping software in a Web browser - with no complex software to install or maintain.

• Mapul

  Mapul is a Web-based online tool for creation mind maps.

• Ta-da-Lists

  Ta-da is the web’s easiest to-do list tool. Make lists for yourself or share them with others. It couldn’t be simpler.

• Backpack

  Backpack is a simple web-based service that allows you to make pages with to-do lists, notes, files, and images. Backpack also features a Calendar and Reminders that can be sent via email or to your cell phone at predefined times.

• Webnote

  Webnote is a tool for taking notes on your computer. It allows you to quickly write something down during a meeting, class, or any other time that you have a web browser available.

• SyncNotes

  SyncNotes is a system that allows you to easily store, retrieve and even communicate small pieces of textual information.

• Jotcloud

  Jotcloud is a extremely simple web service that is designed to let anyone jot down notes quickly on the web.

• mynoteIT

  Take, edit and share notes online.

• Tasktoy

  Tasktoy is a task management program with a lot of useful features.

• shortText.com

  shortText.com is a simple tool to post text online, with minimum fuss. No sign ups, no sign in, just instant web presence for your information.

• Zoho Planner

  Add multiple to do lists with date. Mark them completed when they get done.
  Add email reminders to remind you about your activities
  Upload images and files from one place and access from anywhere
  Add notes to your page to keep track of your daily activities

• Jott

  Create To Do Lists and Reminders
  Send E-mail and Text Messages
  Message groups in one call
  NEW Use your favorite web applications

If you know of similar tools that I have missed, please list them in the comments.

This post was written on Resource list day.